Below are 2 short interviews about the Office Services Specialist Apprenticeship from a recent video:

Hi, my name is Nikki Smith. I am the HR Manager at Gotion Illinois New Energy. We are an electric vehicle battery manufacturer. We also manufacture energy storage systems.

Why join the Apprenticeship Program?

To have this opportunity in manufacturing was really neat.  I’m in Human Resources, but we also have an Administration Department specifically so we have administrative specialists. So, we’re just starting up in our plant. We have I think 85 employees as of yesterday so we will have future Administrative Specialists needs so this is great that we have hourly employees that can learn these skills to fill our openings in the future.

Would you recommend to other employers?

Yes, I would definitely recommend this. It’s a great opportunity for them to be able to take classes, especially having Governors State involved and then I didn’t know even before they signed up that they will be able to take the certification exam at the end which that is huge. I’m taking the HR certification exam myself so for them to get to do this, this I thought that was amazing. Like this is an extra bonus for them. I’ve never heard of another apprenticeship offering this so I was shocked and amazed, happily  amazed that they get to do that.

 

Susanna Vargas, Apprentice

My name is Susanna Vargas. I work for Gotion and I work on the Quality Technician team.

Would you recommend to coworkers?

It would help them learn more communication skills with the coworkers and better understand each other.

Watch the video here.

OAI, Inc. proudly celebrated National Apprenticeship Week 2024 by showcasing the incredible journey of our Office Services Specialists (OSS) Apprenticeship Program participants! Watch the exclusive interview on LinkedIn to hear from Gotion Inc. Illinois New Energy and two talented apprentices about their transformative experiences in Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAP) for OSS.

Alyssa, married and financially co-supporting a family of 10, worked full-time but desired to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). The nursing assistant program she wanted to take did not qualify for financial aid, so she contacted Livingston Workforce Services requesting tuition support. She had been receiving SNAP benefits and could receive assistance through the WIOA grant. Alyssa enrolled in the nursing assistant program, and to help support her during training, she also received assistance with supplies needed for class and gas reimbursement for her travel to classes and clinics. Within days of completing training, Alyssa passed her CNA exam. Weeks following, she was hired at a local nursing home and began earning a wage higher than she had when coming into the Livingston Workforce Services office six months prior. Not only did Alyssa meet her short-term career goal as a CNA, but she also opened the door to advance into another Healthcare career.

Jennifer came to Livingston Workforce Services looking for financial support as she attends school to become a Registered Nurse (RN). She had already qualified for financial aid, including PELL and MAP, which covered the cost of her tuition and books; however, she needed assistance paying for gas to attend classes. As a single mother with five children, Jennifer worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant and received SNAP benefits. While attending school, Jennifer excelled in her classes, making Heartland Community College’s Dean’s List nearly every semester and being inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. To help her stay afloat while taking classes through the WIOA program, she received gas reimbursement and funds to cover supplies required for her clinical courses. A portion of her mortgage was paid for through the WIOA program to help maintain housing for her family. In May 2023, Jennifer completed her Associate Degree in Nursing at Heartland Community College. Over the summer, she passed the NCLEX-RN exam and was promoted at her current employer to a Registered Nurse. As a result, Jennifer is now able to support her family financially!